Last year was one of the most volatile for Google algorithm updates in a long time. We started 2022 wondering whether we would see similar volatility this year and many of the updates that shook the SERPs in 2021 have had refreshes at various stages this year.
In this article, we take a look at all of the algorithm updates that mattered in 2022, summarise the key takeaways from each of them and analyse what they mean for search marketing in 2023.
2022 has been a year for update cycles
Google releases ongoing updates throughout the gambling database year, most of which are small tweaks and it may announce half a dozen or so major updates. Some of these updates introduce new sections of algorithm or signals, such as last year’s page experience update, while others are ongoing update cycles – like the several core algorithm updates we see every year.
In 2022, we’ve mostly seen cyclical updates and not only the usual core update we’re used to seeing throughout the year. We’ve also had a second page experience update (this time for desktop) and two more product review updates with plenty of time for further updates by the end of the year.
So far, the only “new” update we’ve had this year is the helpful content update that was anticipated to be one of the biggest updates since Panda.
Unless something major happens before the end of the year, 2022 is far more relaxed than last year in terms of algorithm updates, which was one of the most disruptive in a long time.
The most important updates in 2022
In 2021, we had 10 confirmed algorithm updates and generation z as a target audience several unconfirmed updates for good measure. This year, we’ve had seven confirmed updates as of 20 September and, while there’s still time for more updates, the SERPs have been far less disruptive so far this year.
Here’s a summary of the key updates we’ve had in 2022 until now
- Page Experience Update (22 Feb): The Page american samoa business directory Experience Update previously released on mobile rolls out for desktop.
- March 2022 Product Reviews Update (23 Mar): The first product reviews update of 2022 and changes the naming conventions for the updates.
- May 2022 Core Update (25 May): The first core update of 2022 appeared to hit AI-generated content particularly hard.
- July 2022 Product Reviews Update (27 July): A second product reviews update had less impact then the first.
- Helpful Content Update (25 Aug): Google rolls out an entirely new update designed to reward content that helps users.
- September 2022 Core Update (12 Sep): The year’s second core update hits faster than the first but has a lower overall impact.
- September 2022 Product Reviews Update (20 Sep): The latest product reviews update starts rolling out before the September 2022 Core Update has finished.
All of the updates listed above were significant enough for Google to announce them – something it only does for major updates.
So let’s take a closer look at each of them and what they mean for SEO in 2023.
